Fine Art
DONNA GABUSI
Fine Artist
Donna Poses with her Acrylic Painting "Water Sunshine"
Photo Courtesy: Donna Gabusi
Photo Courtesy: Donna Gabusi
Donna describes her inspirations, how drawing using the right side of the brain changes perspective, and her interest in reflective surfaces.
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How would you describe your style? I consider my style to be impressionistic – sometimes realistic. It depends on what I am working on. Which do you prefer – paint or pencil? I love using pencil, especially to create portraits. Sometimes with color - you get lost in all the colors. Black and white is basic, simpler. There is a lot to figure out - the shading, the expressions, the extreme details – and you can't hide behind colors. On the other hand, I enjoy using color with my landscapes. If you have a branch or leaf color slightly out of place, it’s more forgiving. |
Ma
Pencil ~ 13 x 17 inches © Donna Gabusi |
Do you paint from photographs or "en plein air"? Do you have a preference?
I paint from photographs. I do a lot of commissions, and I work from the photos customers give me. With plein-air painting, there are a lot of challenges, such as weather events and ever-changing lighting. I would like to try it sometime, though.
I paint from photographs. I do a lot of commissions, and I work from the photos customers give me. With plein-air painting, there are a lot of challenges, such as weather events and ever-changing lighting. I would like to try it sometime, though.
The 3 Butts
Acrylic ~ 12 x 24 inches © Donna Gabusi |
St. Paul's Arch
Acrylic ~ 12 x 16 inches © Donna Gabusi |
You seem to enjoy the study of reflective surfaces.
Usually, when people walk by puddles, they just walk by. I stop and look to see what's inside the puddles – what’s being reflected. There is a lot going on. I find this interesting [and incorporate reflective surfaces often in my work].
Usually, when people walk by puddles, they just walk by. I stop and look to see what's inside the puddles – what’s being reflected. There is a lot going on. I find this interesting [and incorporate reflective surfaces often in my work].
Northport Harbor
Acrylic ~ 24 x 12 inches © Donna Gabusi |
Reflective Strawberries
Acrylic ~ 16 x 12 inches © Donna Gabusi |
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Please explain the purpose of flipping an image upside down to create a painting or drawing from this perspective (the right brain perspective).
I was taught to draw upside down by my high school teacher Mr. Nafus. The book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards [explains how this practice can be useful]. I take the reference photo and turn it upside down. Your brain is forced to relax and focus on the shapes. You don't see a nose, or an eye – you just see shapes. This can help with accuracy. What was the inspiration behind merging past and present in some of your pieces?
I like to study how someone’s face can change over the years. This is a journey of discovery – a person’s face goes through changes but is still recognizable years later. It's the same nose, eyes, etc. Donna has also played with the idea of merging two different faces. One of my portraits is a merge of Billy Joel’s face with a musician from his band (Mike DelGuidice). This is more challenging than a typical portrait. I have to consider which shapes and lines to add or subtract. Then, I form new shapes, but I have to be sure it doesn’t get too busy, so that it’s still recognizable. |
Sister Teresa Demjanovich
Pencil ~ 14.5 x 13 inches © Donna Gabusi |
Are there any mentors or artists you admire whom you’d like to give a shout-out to? How did they influence you?
I try not to latch on to my fellow contemporary artists too much because I want to be sure I’m nurturing my personal style. My muses inspire and influence me, and the faces of people I admire fuel my creativity. I want to give a shout-out to Mike (the musician I mentioned earlier) whom I met just a few years ago. He is a huge inspiration! He has an electric vibe and is a very humble and generous person.
I am also influenced by the French Impressionists, such as Monet, as well as Leonardo da Vinci, DeKooning, Picasso, and Kathe Kollwitz.
Where do you find sanctuary?
I am my mother's caregiver, so when I am done helping her with errands and doctor's appointments, I lock myself in my room at night to paint, draw, write prose, listen to music, write in my journal, etc. I focus on my process and listen to music while painting. My brain drifts away from the outside world. I also work as a house sitter/dog sitter. I take care of homes and pets while the owners are away. I feel that my brain clears, and I’m more focused – just me and a doggie, outside of my usual environment.
I try not to latch on to my fellow contemporary artists too much because I want to be sure I’m nurturing my personal style. My muses inspire and influence me, and the faces of people I admire fuel my creativity. I want to give a shout-out to Mike (the musician I mentioned earlier) whom I met just a few years ago. He is a huge inspiration! He has an electric vibe and is a very humble and generous person.
I am also influenced by the French Impressionists, such as Monet, as well as Leonardo da Vinci, DeKooning, Picasso, and Kathe Kollwitz.
Where do you find sanctuary?
I am my mother's caregiver, so when I am done helping her with errands and doctor's appointments, I lock myself in my room at night to paint, draw, write prose, listen to music, write in my journal, etc. I focus on my process and listen to music while painting. My brain drifts away from the outside world. I also work as a house sitter/dog sitter. I take care of homes and pets while the owners are away. I feel that my brain clears, and I’m more focused – just me and a doggie, outside of my usual environment.
Donna Gabusi is a Long Island, New York- based fine artist who has been creating art for 30 years.
Her work includes portraits, still life, landscapes, and waterscapes, and she is particularly drawn to the expressive nature of the human face, animals, and the reflective nature of water and other objects. She has been experimenting with merging the past and present – her portraits sometimes blend younger and more mature versions of her subjects. She believes these pieces become a visual adaptation of the person’s journey. Donna sometimes paints on fabric covered matboard, instead of canvas, to enhance texture.
Donna has exhibited at galleries, cafes and libraries throughout Long Island, New York. She often sells her work through word of mouth and is available for commissions.
Her work includes portraits, still life, landscapes, and waterscapes, and she is particularly drawn to the expressive nature of the human face, animals, and the reflective nature of water and other objects. She has been experimenting with merging the past and present – her portraits sometimes blend younger and more mature versions of her subjects. She believes these pieces become a visual adaptation of the person’s journey. Donna sometimes paints on fabric covered matboard, instead of canvas, to enhance texture.
Donna has exhibited at galleries, cafes and libraries throughout Long Island, New York. She often sells her work through word of mouth and is available for commissions.
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Inquiries about Commissions:
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Photo Courtesy: Donna Gabusi
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CURRENT & UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS: July Westhampton Library Westhampton, N.Y. August Emma S. Clark Memorial Library Setauket, N.Y. September Hewlett/Woodmere Public Library Hewlett, N.Y. 
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